Vacuum currycomb device



Feb. 12, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEY VACUUM CURRYCOMB DEVICE Sidney J. Cohen, Billings, Mont.

Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,544

7 Claims. (43]. 15365) This invention relates to currycomb devices, particularly of the type in which vacuum is utilized to supplement the currycomb proper to carry away the dust, dirt and loose hair removed by the currying operation.

One object of the invention is to provide in a device of this character means for more efiectively loosening adhering particles of dirt on the skin and hair of the animal being cleaned, so as to obtain a more thorough cleaning in a shorter period of time.

Another object is to provide, in a device of this character, rubbing and dirt-loosening means so disposed as to facilitate the action of the suction means in carrying away the debris loosened in the currying operation.

A further object is to provide a currying and rubbing structure, so constructed and arranged with reference to the vacuum means, as to prevent any egress of dust into the outside air during the currying operation, thus safeguarding the health of the operator.

A still further object is to provide a resilient removable unit which may be quickly inserted into and removed from a metal suction head, so as to render the device effective for a variety of currying operations required during difierent seasons of the year.

The various further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description and the features of novelty will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating preferred embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, the section being taken along line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevation, similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the vacuum head with the resilient insert removed;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention dispensing with the use of the metal vacuum head.

Referring in detail to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawing, a vacuum head, designated generally as 10, formed of metal or plastic of any suitable shape, such as of an elliptical outline, as shown in Fig. l, is provided with an extended neck portion 12 adapted to be suitably connected to the usual hose of a vacuum cleaning machine. A vertical flange or rim l4 depends from the periphery of elliptical top it's of head 10 and forms therewith a suction cup communicating with the neck 12. The bottom edge of rim 14 is formed with blunt teeth eifective for the usual currying operation. Formed in the interior of suction head 10, at the junction of top 16 and rim 14, is a peripheral recess 20, for a purpose which will presently appear.

In order to facilitate the cur-tying and rubbing action for loosening and removing any particles of dirt and dust adhering to the skin and hair of the animal, I provide a resilient removable element designated generally as 22. This element may be formed of rubber or some other suitable plastic, preferably in one integral piece, so as to snugly fit the interior of head 10. Thus the top 24 of nited States Patent 2,780,829 Patented Feb. 12, 1957 element 22 may snugly fit the interior surface of top 16, and a short neck portion 26 extending from top 24 may fit into the mouth of neck portion 12 of the head. A peripheral bead 28 is provided around the edge of top 24, so formed as to snugly fit into interior peripheral recess 20 of top 16. Owing to the resiliency of the material of element 22, head 28 readily snaps into recess 20 and sesecurly holds element 22 in position in the interior of suction head 10.

Element 22 is designed to supplement efiectively the currying action of teeth 18, and in addition to perform a rubbing and polishing action, so as to thoroughly loosen the particles of dirt and dust in a most elfective way for removal by the vacuum means to which the suction head is connected. For this purpose the top portion 24 of element 22 is provided with 21 depending rim 30 snugly fitting against rim 14 of the suction head, and formed at its bottom edge with a series of blunt teeth 32, similar to teeth 18 of head 10. Projecting downwardly from the interior surface of top 24, are a number of posts or lugs 34, the bottoms of which terminate preferably in the same plane with the bottoms of teeth 32, and formed with teeth preferably of generally similar contour to teeth 32. Any desired number of lugs 34 may be formed to suit particular conditions. I have found that for average conditions three lugs as shown are sutficient. These lugs, situated as they are in the interior of the suction head or cup, are extremely effective in loosening particles of dirt and dust and presenting them in position to be most readily removed by the suction exerted by the vacuum machine to which the suction 'head is attached.

At certain times of the year when the animals shed their hair it may be advantageous to use the suction head 10 without the insert as a preliminary curry-ing operation For this purpose element 22 may be readily removed by merely pulling on lugs 34 so as to snap head 28 out of recess 20 of the head. By means of simple pressure on interior of top 24 or-lugs 34, unit 22 may be reinserted into head 10 for a final finishing cleaning operation on the animal.

In the form of the invention illustrated in- Figure 4, the entire vacuum head, indicated generally at 40, may be formed of resilient material, such as rubber or other plastic. The neck 42 of the head 40 may be extended so as to be attached in any suitable way to the usual suction hose of a vacuum cleaning machine. The other portions of the vacuum head, including top 44, toothed rim 46 and downwardly projecting posts or lugs 43 may be of substantially the same form as corresponding parts of insert element 22, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a vacuum currycomb device, which, though simple in construction, is very efiicient in thoroughly and quickly cleaning animals without contaminating the air with particles of dust and dirt, thus safeguarding the health of the operator. The improved device in its operation loosens the particles of dust and dirt on the animal and puts them in the most effective position for being taleen up by the suction exerted in the vacuum head. Furthermore the device is adaptable for various conditions which may arise at different times of the year.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A vacuum currycomb device comprising a vacuum head formed with a neck portion capable of attachment to a source of vacuum, said head comprising a top portion and a peripheral rim depending therefrom, said rim being formed with teeth on its bottom marginal edge; and a resilient flexible insert member fitting within said head, said insert member comprising a top portion formed with a portion communicating with the mouth of said neck portion, an integral flexible resilient peripheral rim depending from said top portion provided with teeth on its marginal edge and integral resilient posts extending downwardly from said last mentioned top portion and terminating susbtantially in the same plane :as the bottoms of said teeth.

27 A vacuum currycomb as defined in claim 1, in which said peripheral rim depending from said top portion of said insert member fits against the interior surface of the rim of said head, said insert rim being also formed with teeth at the bottom edge thereof terminating in substantially the same plane as the teeth of the rim of said head.

3. A vacuum currycomb device comprising a vacuum head formed With a neck portion capable of attachment to a source of vacuum, said head comprising a top portion and a peripheral rim depending therefrom, said rim being formed with teeth on its bottom marginal edge; and a resilient flexible insert member fitting within said head, said insert member comprising a top portion formed with a portion communicating with the mouth of said neck portion, and integral resilient posts extending downwardly from said last mentioned top portion and terminating substantially in the same plane as the bottoms of said teeth, said top portion being provided with an integnal downwardly projecting peripheral rim formed with teeth at its marginal edge registering with the teeth of said head, said vacuum head being formed with a recess interiorly thereof and said insert being formed with a marginal bead engageable in said recess.

4. A vacuum currycomb device as defined in claim 3, in which said recess is formed at the junction of the top and the depending rim.

5. A vacuum currycomb device as defined in claim 1, in which said communicating portion of said insert comprises a short neck portion fitting into the mouth of the neck portion of the vacuum head.

6. A vacuum currycomb device as defined in claim 1, in which the bottoms of said depending lugs are toothed.

7. A vacuum currycomb device, comprising a vacuum cup formed of flexible resilient material, comprising a top portion formed with a neck portion extending therefrom, capable of communication with a source of vacuum, an integral peripheral rim depending from said top portion and for: ied with teeth at its bottom marginal edge, and spaced integral posts extending downwardly from the innor surface of said top, the bottom surfaces of said posts being toothed and disposed in substantially the same plane as said first mentioned teeth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,083,087 Grifiiths Dec. 30, 1913 1,444,149 F'arron Feb. 6, 1923 2,017,780 Walters Oct. 15, 1935 2,480,097 Holden Aug. 23, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 708,418 Great Britain May 5, 1954 

